The Revenue and Customs Control Agency (ARCA) will hold an online auction of over 170 technological devices seized by the Santo Tomé Customs. The auction will take place on November 11th through the Subastas Banco Ciudad portal from 11:00 to 12:05, with starting bids at $15,000. The lots include: 30 JBL speakers, 1 Longstar portable audio system, 25 Sony items (including 19 PlayStation 4 consoles and 4 controllers), 3,434 storage devices, 49 Pioneer and Booster car stereos, and 43 Apple and Google TV adapters. The items were on public display in Concepción del Uruguay, Entre Ríos, until last Wednesday. Interested parties can register to participate until November 11th at 11:00 AM. Such auctions are held in accordance with the Customs Code, which mandates that goods in the custody of Customs must be sold through auctions. The entire procedure is governed by Disposition 31/2025, published in the Official Gazette. To participate, one must register on the portal, complete a registration form with ARCA, and in some cases, make a security deposit. After that, it is possible to access the complete list of lots, view the attached photographs, and check the technical information. Customs authorities are empowered to prevent the import, export, and circulation of counterfeit products within the national territory. As a result of extensive investigations launched several months ago, in a joint effort with the General Directorates of Customs Control and Internal Operations, several procedures were carried out at various border posts, resulting in the seizure of smuggled goods. For instance, in Concordia, Entre Ríos, following instructions from the Federal Court, trucks arriving from the north of the country were inspected at the Salto Grande International Bridge. During the scanning, authorities intercepted a truck attempting to cross the border from Uruguay to Paraguay. In other cases, products without proper documentation, such as perfumes, e-cigarettes, headphones, and TV boxes, were also seized. In Clorinda, Formosa, a truck carrying allegedly counterfeit leather goods and toys was intercepted. In Posadas, authorities detected over 20,220 cell phones valued at approximately US$ 2,230,000 in a transit container, which had been falsely declared as women's wallets. The cargo had been reported as various items, including watches, chargers, and toys, valued at a mere $12,000.
